NCJ Number
61075
Journal
Policy Studies Journal Volume: 7 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (1978) Pages: 431-436
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THE ACTUAL AND POTENTIAL ROLES OF POLICE IN INVESTIGATING WHITE COLLAR CRIME ARE CONSIDERED.
Abstract
WHITE COLLAR INVESTIGATION HAS RARELY BEEN FORMALLY ADDRESSED BY LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND MORE RARELY CONSIDERED A PROPER ROLE FOR POLICE. THIS CIRCUMSTANCE IS LARGELY DUE TO THE NATURE OF WHITE COLLAR CRIME AS IT HAS BEEN DEFINED AND THE SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE SKILLS REQUIRED FOR DETECTION AND CASE DEVELOPMENT. IN SPITE OF THESE IMPEDIMENTS, NEW DATA SHOW A REGULAR, ALBEIT MODEST, INVOLVEMENT OF THE POLICE IN WHITE COLLAR CRIME INVESTIGATION WHERE THE LOCAL PROSECUTOR HAS MADE A COMMITMENT. THE UNIFORM ECONOMIC CRIME REPORTING SYSTEM ESTABLISHED FOR THE ECONOMIC CRIME PROJECT OF THE NATIONAL DISTRICT ATTORNEYS ASSOCIATION CONTAINS DETAILED INFORMATION ON OVER 3,500 INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS OF WHITE COLLAR CRIME IN 15 MAJOR UNITED STATES CITIES. THE DATA WERE COMPILED BY WHITE COLLAR CRIME BUREAUS IN THE LOCAL PROSECUTING ATTORNEY'S OFFICE BETWEEN JANUARY 1974 AND JUNE 1975. THE DATA FILE COVERS MATTERS IDENTIFIED IN PRELIMINARY SCREENING AS POTENTIAL CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS OF A NONROUTINE NATURE. SINCE THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IS THE CENTRAL PROCESSING POINT FOR ALL CRIMINAL ACTION, THE UNIFORM ECONOMIC CRIME REPORTING SYSTEM CAN PROVIDE A REASONABLY ACCURATE INDICATION OF THE POLICE ROLE IN WHITE COLLAR CRIME INVESTIGATION. WHILE POLICE INVOLVEMENT IS SHOWN TO BE UNCOMMON IN THE 15 CITIES, INVESTIGATIVE EFFORTS WERE EFFECTIVE WHEN POLICE AIDED OPERATIONS. FURTHER, SUCH CASES WERE MORE LIKELY TO INVOLVE SERIOUS CHARGES. THE MOST FREQUENT TYPE OF CASE FOR WHICH POLICE WERE CALLED ON WAS HOME IMPROVEMENT AND REPAIR FRAUD. FROM THIS EVIDENCE, IT IS REASONABLE TO CONCLUDE THAT EXPANDED POLICE INVOLVEMENT IN SOME AREAS OF WHITE COLLAR CRIME CAN BE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE. 332ENTION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO WAYS IN WHICH POLICE PATROL PRACTICES CAN BE USED AS A MEANS OF DETECTING CERTAIN TYPES OF WHITE COLLAR CRIME, AND WAYS SHOULD BE DEVISED WHEREBY POLICE DETECTIVES CAN BE TRAINED AND DEPLOYED TO CONDUCT OR ASSIST IN WHITE COLLAR CRIME INVESTIGATION. TABULAR DATA AND NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)